1)    Provide a context for understanding the film (film movement, director, national cinema, historical events, etc.). This must be more than merely naming a movement and giving its dates. You will need to discuss more fully the political, social, and cultural context of the film. I.e., explicitly connect the film to its movement and/or moment.

2)    Provide basic information about the film and a brief overview of what it is about. Avoid lengthy plot summaries.

3)    Present an argument regarding the film’s meaning or meanings. Be sure to support your argument with details from the film. Your grade will depend on your ability to observe detail.

4)    Include a close analysis of at least two brief sequences from the film, one of which must be the final shots of the film. Your comments on these scenes must also relate them to the meaning of the film that you are discussing (i.e., your overall argument). (Close analysis here means paying attention to visual details, not just plot or theme.)

5)    Use one of the readings for this class as a reference. (The textbook is allowed.)

Further guidelines:

1)    Provide a title for your essay that reflects what you are arguing (vs. just the film’s title).

2)    Underline or italicize all film titles and provide (director, date) when you first mention a film.

3)    Make your overall argument something that isn’t self-evidently obvious or too broadly general.

4)    Proofread your paper for clarity, typos, and writing errors. While this isn’t a writing class, poor or sloppy writing can reduce your grade from 1/3 to a full grade.

5)    Provide a list of “Works Cited” at the end of your essay.

6)    Avoid getting your information from the Internet, which is a notoriously unreliable source for scholarly information. If you do use the Internet, be sure to cross check the information elsewhere. I strongly recommend the library as a more reliable and immediate source of information on films.

7)    Needless to say, plagiarism is unacceptable. (See the syllabus, as well as the University’s guidelines on academic integrity.) Be careful to avoid plagiarism by acknowledging any and every source you have used. Even if you paraphrase someone else’s ideas, be sure to document your source(s). Every quote you use should include a reference to its source (author, title, and page number). If you use ideas from the DVD commentary on the film, you must reference that as well. Err on the side of over-documentation rather than under-documentation. If you do plagiarize on this essay, you will automatically fail this assignment, no exceptions.

8)    Format: 12 pt. standard font, standard margins, double spaced. You essay should be at least 3-4 pages long, which means at least 3 full pages (2.5 pages = 3 sheets of paper, but not 3 pages!). Note that you may write more than 3-4 pages if necessary.